The Aftermath
by Destiny Bunny
Summary: [SLASH] Part 5 of the Troubled Times story arc.


Title: The Aftermath  
  
Author: Destiny Bunny  
  
Spoilers: yes...lots (as usual)  
  
Summary: It is three years following the first fall of Voldemort, and not everyone is coping as well as it would seem.  
  
Pairings: Remus/Sirius mentioned.  
  
Disclaimer: Don't own, except in the deepest and most sordid recesses of my troubled mind.  
  
[A/N: Dumbledore's letter may seem a bit OOC, but my theory was that he was a desperate man, who decided that the situation warranted urgent intervention. This also goes for his actions later in the story.]  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Remus awoke suddenly, drenched in sweat and breathing as if he had just run a marathon. Shaking slightly, he got up and shuffled into the bathroom. He had been having this dream every night now since the deaths of Peter, James and Lily. 'And Sirius too,' he thought bitterly, 'He's as good as dead to me now.' Remus hadn't seen Harry since. He didn't know what had happened to him and to be honest, he didn't want to. The pain was just too fresh, too close.  
  
Sighing, he got into the shower and turned the water on full. Slowly but surely, Remus had been cutting himself off from the wizarding community. Well it wasn't exactly difficult. Most people feared or shunned him anyway. Then there was that blazing row with his family, just a few short weeks before. 'Before they died,' Remus told himself harshly, 'Better get used to it some time.' His mother had come by after the funeral, wanting to make peace. He had told her that he would make the first move when he was ready to talk. He had no intention of actually doing that of course, but it had gotten her to leave. That was three years ago. Remus doubted that he would ever speak to them now. Not for a good few years yet at any rate.  
  
Feeling, well, slightly refreshed anyway, Remus dressed and went out into the kitchen to make some coffee and open his mail. The breeze from the open window ruffled his hair, summoning half-remembered sensations from the past of running through the woods, the wind in his hair, the sound of hoofs behind him. But he had sworn he wouldn't think about that. Flinging his wet towel angrily into a corner, he began flipping through his mail. A couple of advertisements, a reminder about the werewolf acceptance group he hadn't been to since he was six, and a letter from Dumbledore.  
  
"Doesn't that man ever give up?" Remus muttered under his breath as he opened the parchment envelope:  
  
Dear Remus,  
Ignoring your problems will not make them go away. I am concerned for you, as are your family. I think it would be wise for us to talk. I await your owl.  
Albus Dumbledore.  
  
Remus crumpled the letter together with the rest of the post and used it to light a fire for the kettle. Just as he was standing up from the small oven, a large tawny owl flew in through the open window and deposited another envelope bearing the Hogwarts crest on the kitchen table.  
  
"Now what?" Remus grumbled opening the second letter. But this wasn't from Dumbledore:  
  
Dear Remus,  
I have gathered from the headmaster that things are not going well for you. If there is anything I can do to help, let me know.  
Professor Minerva McGonagall.  
  
"How nice." Remus muttered sarcastically as he threw the letter into the fire with the rest of them.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Professor Albus Dumbledore was sitting at his desk replying to a letter from Cornelius Fudge, the minister of magic, when there was a knock at the door.  
  
"Come in," he called as Minerva McGonagall opened the door and hurried in.  
  
"You wanted to see me, headmaster." She began.  
  
"Yes I did Minerva. Please, sit down." Dumbledore answered. "Now, as you are no doubt aware, Filius has expressed the desire to step down from the position of deputy headmaster," Dumbledore's eye twinkled merrily as he said the words 'step down', however, Minerva remained serious throughout. "Anyway," continued Dumbledore, "I have therefore decided that starting after Christmas, you will be the new deputy Headmistress. Unless you have any objections that is?" "Oh, no Albus," she replied quickly, "of course not."  
  
"Excellent." Dumbledore said. "I thought that you could use the Christmas holidays as an introductory period in which Filius can show you the ropes."  
  
"Certainly Albus," Minerva replied, although she looked pre-occupied.  
  
"What is it Minerva?" asked Dumbledore.  
  
"Oh it's nothing really," Minerva replied, "it's just that.are you sure it's a good idea leaving young Harry with those people? They were always so very against the wizarding world."  
  
"It is the safest place for him," Dumbledore stated, "as I said three years ago, and I will hear no more about it. Besides, it is Remus Lupin I am concerned with at the moment." Some of the light left Dumbledore's eyes at this point. "Well, that's all for now, Minerva," he said in a forcibly cheerful voice. "I am sure you have things to be doing, and I must finish this letter to Cornelius Fudge." 


End file.
